


Paterfamilias

by st_ivalice



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Amicitia Family, Babysitting, Established Relationship, FFXValentines Exchange, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 12:58:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13764678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/st_ivalice/pseuds/st_ivalice
Summary: Ignis comes to realize that family is important for an Amicitia, especially if you're dating one.





	Paterfamilias

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift for smowlbean on twitter for the FFXValentines Exchange.

When Gladio texted him confirming a night to themselves, he was ecstatic; an understatement, but their schedules had been mismatched for nearly a month and a half. Squeezing in time here and there beyond an hour or two was difficult, to say the least, and as the Crown Prince’s Advisor, his scheduling ability—and Gladio’s, if he was doling out credit— were top notch. Their last “evening to themselves” as it were, was three months ago after his formal oaths into the Crownsguard.

About a year into their relationship now, they considered themselves lucky to have had few instances where their work and lifestyle had cancelled plans, but with both their formal oaths completed, and Gladio’s formal oaths as Shield, now the difficulty was beginning to show. He didn’t mind, welcomed the challenge actually, but knowing he had Gladio’s affections stoked the selfish desires of himself he usually cast aside. There was a certain satisfaction opening up the tabloids and seeing the speculation of “Lucis’ most eligible bachelor” and knowing the real answer. That he was off the market and very dedicated to his relationship.

Ignis pulled in to the Amicitia home garage, his Crown car given the passcode for the day. He was surprised it was Clarus who had insisted he have it daily, the only other people outside the family with unlimited access were Cor, Dustin, and Monica, and the latter two were his right and left hands. But then again, Lord Clarus was always big on family, including close friends, and while the Amicitias, all of them, were always well-liked, they kept only a handful of confidants. Perhaps that explained the screaming of children filling the house. Gladio had warned him his dad was babysitting his sister Felicia’s children, something that happened often enough. He recalled that Gladio speculated he’d probably have more siblings if they weren’t Shields.

Knocking would be futile against the sound of feet running up the stairs, the giggling and screaming not withstanding. He sent a text to Gladio to let him know he was there and walked past the mudroom and into the kitchen, observing the three extra pairs of small shoes that weren’t Iris’. His observation also extended to the absolute mess the kitchen was in. It looked as if they had started baking something with chocolate, but there were too many ingredients out for cookies, and the sheer amount of eggs pointed to brownies or fudge. He cringed at the small chocolatey fingerprints on every counter and the large white handprint on the fridge door, unsure if it belonged to Gladio or his father.

Carefully, he navigated through the disaster area to the sliding door that separated the dining and living rooms, hearing heavy footsteps as he shut it.

Gladio came down the stairs, half his shirt and shorts wet, carrying a fussy Talcott in his arms. His eyes had that tight crease at the edges that hinted to his weariness but he still smiled when he laid eyes on him, his face brightening.

“Hey babe,” he said when he reached the foot of stairs. “Probably gonna have to cancel tonight. My dad had to head to the Citadel so it’s me, again.”

Ignis tried not to let his disappointment show, but he was surprised in all the times Lord Clarus babysat, he’d only been called out two or three times, leaving Gladio in charge.

“It happens. Probably that blasted Council vote on the historic district.”

The Council has been back and forth on whether to expand the district to include the old Aegis buildings that have been a decrepit eyesore for decades and home to transients and restore them for preservation as an open air museum, or demolish them, keeping the old courtyard and implementing a sustainable park with archives, accessible housing for immigrants, and artisan shops of crafts from outside the Crown City. The deadlock was caused by a few council members who were opposed to anything favorable to non Crown-City born citizens; it was quite the annoyance. Even the King’s Shield was beginning to lose his calm demeanor in the course of their discussions. After last night’s recess, he was pretty sure only he and the King were meant to hear that the meeting was, in Lord Clarus’ own words, ‘ _fucking ridiculous._ ’

Gladio sighed. “Probably. He mentioned something about strangling Lord Mensa before he left.”

Ignis checked his phone just to be sure. “Huh. I wasn’t notified. But he does mention that under his breath fairly frequently, so maybe he’s just following through on his promise.”

Laughing, he bounced Talcott a few times. “Yep, we’re pretty big on promises in this family.”

“Your father including Talcott in his brood this weekend?” The boy was three now, old enough to play, or try to at least, with the older children, but still rather small for his age. Or perhaps just in comparison to Gladio.

He nodded. “I think he misses when Iris was a baby. My Aunt told me when Pia was born, he used to visit them a ton just to play with her. Pretty sure that’s why there’s such a close age gap between them.”

“Ah,” he smiled, imagining how the intimidating Shield must have looked with a small child in his arms. “Is he the culprit of the chocolate explosion in the kitchen?”

“Nope,” Gladio said, ruffling Talcott’s sandy hair. “Little man got caught in the crossfire. Well, we all did. _Clara_ and _Justin_ decided the chocolate was better in each other’s hair and it escalated from there.”

Ignis smiled, spotting the chocolate that remained on his neck and cheek, and stepped closer to wipe off a small portion with his thumb. “A Shield couldn’t stop a scuffle of small children in his own house?” He slipped the digit against his tongue to lick it off, enjoying how Gladio’s attention went to it.

Gladio hummed in approval. “I _did_. Iris is giving Clara a bath and Pia is taking care of Justin. I just finished with this guy.”

As if on cue, there was a thud from upstairs and the sound of large amounts of water splashing where it should not be. Ignis raised is eyebrows in concern and Gladio sighed, closing his eyes as he contained his anger. After a second, he handed Talcott to him and ran up the stairs, two at a time. _“If what I think is happening is happening,_ ** _it better not be!_** _”_

Ignis was left still holding Talcott an armslength away, quite unsure of whether he should still hold him or put him down. He’d seen the boy walk, but perhaps Gladio was afraid he’d go back to the kitchen? It also occurred to him how easily Gladio handed off a toddler to take care of business like it was an old habit.

“Well, you’ve had quite the evening.” He smiled at Talcott and awkwardly brought him closer and figured how to balance him on his hip, then decided to just hold him like he’d seen others do.

Gladio’s voice echoed through the house. “ _Why would you do this? All you had to do is take a bath like_ normal!”

He made a face at the toddler. “And by the sound of it, it seems we’re both in for more.”

“Iggy’s glasses!” the boy said, reaching for them.

He tilted his head out of reach. “ _No_. Not for playing.” Logic told him he had to be firm with small children, but still instilling. Looking around for a toy, he spotted a board book about animals. “Here,” he said, “Let’s look at the pictures—er, and words.” At three, he should be able to read right? He had read at two years old, and Noctis at three as well, so it wasn’t out of the question. Talcott was exceptionally bright. He could see his attention always darting between speakers in conversation, his vocabulary very broad for a toddler as well.

 _Duscae Animals_ the title proclaimed, and the distinction between regions hinted at this book being for older readers. “Hrmm. Not bad.” Making his way to the couch, he sat and balanced Talcott on his lap. He opened the book. “Alright, let’s see. ‘Garulas. Garulas eat grass on the plains of Duscae. They live in herds. A herd is—’”

Talcott shook his head and squealed. “No!” Then he made his limbs rigid to try and slip out of Ignis’ grip.

“Not garulas, then?” He sighed, looking for something else while struggling to maintain control over him. The thought occurred to him that maybe the children hadn’t eaten yet, if the kitchen was any indication, but they were also making dessert, and he knew Gladio wouldn’t make that poor a choice. Was it bedtime then? It was 7pm, certainly late for a just-turned-three-year-old. Perhaps he _might_ join Clarus in strangling Lord Mensa for ruining his evening as well.

When the planking didn’t work to free himself, Talcott started going red in the face and pushing his arms away. “No. No,” he repeated.

“I’m sorry, Talcott. I can’t let you roam.”

Then his tiny face did the bunching that all children’s did when they were about to cry.

Ignis huffed, scooping him up and standing, trying to emulate what Gladio had done earlier to calm him. “Oh dear. I’ve gone and upset you now.”

“No, you didn’t,” Gladio said, peeking over the balcony, the whole front of his shirt completely wet now. He stopped to pull it over his head, and Ignis had to wonder if it was to put on a show for him. It was always a treat to see the physique he worked hard on and the quickly filling in tattoo. “Don’t pander to him either, that’s exactly what he wants. I fell for it.”

As he came down the stairs, he smiled at Ignis, that soft expression that enhanced the fine features of his face. He knew that Ignis was admiring him—not that he was particularly hiding it. When he reached the bottom, they held eye contact for a moment before Talcott tried to grab his glasses again.

Gladio frowned. “Lemme’ toss this in the laundry real quick and I’ll take him.” He slid the door to the kitchen open again and went to the laundry room, which he could have easily accessed from the other stairs on the other end of the hall nearer to the bathrooms. So, he either took this way to check on him or show off. Or both. Either way, Ignis loved every opportunity to enjoy the neat cuts and lines of his back and imagine how Gladio would look once his tattoo was completed. A trueborn shield.

He felt a pang of sorrow recalling nearly a year ago when Gladio had expressed his decision to undertake such a grand commitment. His father had just revealed to him that Noctis was the Chosen King and he felt it appropriate to make an equally bold statement as his Shield. Not a week after, the King had pulled him aside and told him the prophecy too, seeing how it had affected their relationship. Or perhaps it had been Clarus’ observation? Regardless, they both now knew what awaited Noctis and it was their job to guide him, support him, protect him. Even now, he still grappled with the full understanding of how both the King and his Shield had prepared them differently than their positions were. Perhaps that was why they had supported their relationship? To counteract the future?

“Hey,” Gladio said softly. “Come back to me.”

“Hrmm?” He focused on Gladio suddenly in front of him, now wearing a light cotton tee.

“You were deep in thought. Usually you’re pretty cute, but you look concerned.” He reached for Talcott who rested his head against his chest. “Everything alright?”

Ignis smiled to reassure him. “Just a thought. Everything alright upstairs?”

The corners of Gladio’s mouth pulled down and he furrowed his brows, unhappy with the deflection. “Yeah. Just some _shenanigans_ ,” he emphasized with a tired breath. “Nothing I couldn’t handle. You sure you’re alright? I’m sorry tonight didn’t really go as planned.”

“It’s fine, really. I’m already here, might as well make the most of it.” He gave one of his coy smiles he knew drove him crazy. “Only been here twenty minutes and you already had an excuse to remove your shirt.”

Gladio grinned. “I don’t need an excuse. _But,_ ” he teased, "I could called Cor.”

He tilted his head, incapable of escaping his charm. “Isn’t the Marshal only to be called during an emergency?” He knew Cor was “off the clock”—as much as they forced him to be—but he was always on-call for the King and, to a lesser extent, Clarus. He was the designated guardian of both Iris and, for one more year, Gladio, since he wasn’t twenty yet.

Gladio looked tempted for a moment, then thought better. “Yeah, but that’s only for emergencies. ‘There are emergencies and there are _emergencies_ ,’” he recited. “He hates, _hates_ babysitting. Unless it’s Iris.”

Yes, Iris was Cor’s only exception. His favorite. And she knew it.

“But I’m pretty sure this classifies as an emergency.”

Raising his eyebrows, Ignis awaited what came next. “Oh?”

“I _really_ want to kiss my boyfriend. He works so hard.”

He rolled his eyes despite feeling how his cheeks warmed up. “Come now, I work just as hard as you.”

“I _know._ That’s why we haven’t had any alone time lately,” he said as he leaned in for a quick kiss.

Talcott put a hard stop on that when he reached for his glasses again, this time smudging the lenses.

“Whoops, sorry about that. He’s fussy. He didn’t take his nap and then all the excitement earlier. It’s bedtime.”

Taking his glasses off and cleaning them, he said, “And here I thought it was my reading.”

“Were you reading the Duscae book?”

He nodded.

“Ah. I think he’s tired of it. He’ll read a book like twice and then he’s done. I gotta see if Iris has any old books that she doesn’t read anymore that are appropriate for him. He’s a bright kid. Probably got another Iggy on our hands,” he grinned.

Ignis put his glasses back on. “Well then, maybe _I_ should choose some books for him.”

“Oh no, I can’t handle two of you!”

“‘ _Handle me,_ he says,’” Ignis echoed, peering sidelong at him, a smirk tugging at his lips. “And who says _I’m_ the one who needs handling?”

Gladio simply shrugged. “Well, if you help me get the brats to clean up and get to bed, you can handle me _any way you like._ ” He waggled his eyebrows, earning a slap to the shoulder. “ _Hey_.”

“ _That’s_ for saying that in front of him.”

He held his hand up in apology. “Okay.” Then he covered Talcott’s ear and leaned forward again. “You sure that’s not some of your _handling?_ ”

Ignis shook his head. “You are incorrigible.”

“Which means ‘handsome,’ right, Talcott?” Gladio tried to impress upon him. His head still resting on Gladio’s shoulder, Talcott stared sleepily at both of them before turning his head the other way.

“Case in point.”

“Wow, tough crowd tonight.”

Spying a blanket with printed cactuars on it draped unceremoniously on the couch, Ignis collected it and started up the stairs. “Shall we? Clean up then bedtime, was it?” That was one child down. Four more to go. Perhaps they might still salvage the evening.

Gladio followed and they went up to the second floor. At the top, Ignis tossed over his shoulder, “They’ve all eaten?”

“Iggy, c’mon, it’s me. They ate all their vegetables too. Didn’t even force ‘em.”

“Impressive. Can you get the Prince to do that too?”

“Sorry, babe, that’s outside my job description. And I’d probably break my oath. If I tried to force him to eat his veggies, someone’s gonna get hurt and it ain’t me or the vegetables.”

Ignis hummed in agreement. He’d nearly reached that point too. Luckily it _was_ in his job description and ordered by the King, so to speak. “Where’s he sleeping?”

“Uh, my room. Until Jared comes back from poker night. Sorry. I’d have him sleep downstairs but we’re gonna clean and the kids’ll wake him up.”

“Speaking of the other kids…” He hadn’t heard anything since Gladio went up to check on the splashing.

“Yeah could you check on them? It’s a little too quiet. Clara should be with Iris in her room and Pia and Justin should either still be cleaning up the water that decided to leave the tub or in the guest room.”

Nodding, he handed him the blanket and made to turn and head down the hall but out of the corner of his eye, he saw the image of Talcott’s peaceful sleeping head on Gladio’s shoulder and the ease at which he handled and navigated with the child made him pause. It seemed almost second nature to him, but surely he hadn’t handled a child that small in five years, even longer if he considered Iris. And yet, Gladio made sure to place Talcott down gently on his bed and then use his many pillows as a barrier against the edge. He was transfixed at the sight, his heart welling at the many skills Gladio was adept at, including family, but at the same time, he felt like a voyeur, as if this was not something that was meant for him.

He observed further; Gladio covered Talcott with the blanket and even from this distance, he could hear the soft sigh that escaped his lips as he watched him sleep. Other emotions he couldn’t place jumbled in his chest when Gladio stretched a single finger and brushed the back of it gently against the boy’s cheek, almost an absent motion. Then he smiled and swept Talcott’s hair aside.

The sound of children giggling broke Ignis from his thoughts and he quickly returned to his original task. Determining it to originate from Iris’ room, he headed further down the hall to her room. Her door was ajar and he could see all four of them sitting on the ground in the circle. Clara whispered into Justin’s ear and he whispered into Iris’ ear. She in turn then whispered in Pia’s and then Pia said it out loud, but the phrase was odd. “You have to throw that?”

Everyone laughed and Clara said, “No. I said _exitus acta probat._ ” Ignis raised his eyebrows. He had to give her credit on her Ancient Lucian at eight years old.

Pia sighed. “You didn’t tell us we were doing Ancient Lucian.”

“Yeah,” Iris chimed in. “And whatever Justin told me definitely didn’t sound like that.”

Justin made a face. “Psh, yeah I did. It’s my turn. And I’m doing something in Ancient Lucian.”

Before they got started again, Ignis decided to knock on the door. Four pairs of eyes looked at him expectantly and for a brief moment he felt out of sorts, unsure what to say to them.

“Hey Iggy,” Iris greeted. “Wanna play Telephone with us?”

He regained his composure, smiling at Iris. “Uh, I appreciate the offer, but we need to clean the kitchen.”

Clara and Justin complained noisily and Pia sighed again but Iris had her face set and nodded, standing to head down. She knew the wrath of her brother and father.

“Hey,” Gladio said behind him. “What are you twerps waiting for? You heard him. Ignis has as much authority in this household as I do.”

“Why? Because he’s your _boyfriend_?” Justin teased, getting up with his sisters.

“Because he’s an adult and _yes_ , because he’s my boyfriend.” He angled at the door so they could pass. “C’mon let’s go. And Talcott is already sleeping so no noise up here.” He looked up at Ignis, smiling.

Iris led her cousins down to the kitchen, Gladio and Ignis at the end of the line.

“So I have authority now?” Ignis whispered.

Gladio grinned. “Yeah. Even authority over me. It’s almost _my_ bedtime too.”

Rolling his eyes, he shook his head.

“But really though, they’ll listen to you. They’re good kids. The best, actually. _Amicitias_.” He watched his cousins go down the stairs and shrugged. “Well, Pia. The twins get excitable.”

When they got to the kitchen, they all lined up and waited for Gladio to start speaking. He went to a drawer by the sink and pulled out a handful of hand towels, then grabbed a container of antibacterial wipes from under the sink and placed them all on the counter.

“Alright, delegation,” he started. “Twins, you’re on counter duty since you decided chocolate goes in hair. But, you better make sure no chocolate goes anywhere else, including yourselves or it’s another shower for you.”

Clara started. “But Justin—”

“—Nope. You put chocolate in his hair too. Wipes first then I’ll come in with with rags. Pia, you take care of putting ingredients away and wiping down handles. Iris, you’re on dish duty.”

“—I don’t know where everything goes but I’ll do my best,” Pia said.

“Alright, Pia you’re on dishes, Iris you’re ingredients and handles and then helping her when you’re done. Twenty minutes tops. Got it? Questions?”

“Can I play music?” Iris asked.

“If it’ll make you clean faster, but remember, not too loud.”

Iris was the first one to move and grabbed a few wipes and a rag, pulling out her phone from her pocket to play music on the sound system. Pia, Clara, and Justin following suit, the kitchen now a busy workstation. Gladio got a rag and made it wet, ready to wipe counters.

“And where am I stationed?” Ignis asked.

“Huh?” Gladio looked up from the rag he was folding. “Oh you don’t have to help, babe. We got this.”

Ignis gave him a withering look. Surely he knew by now he was an impeccable and expert organizer. It would be a shame to let his talents go unused. “I seem to remember certain agreements about the speed of cleaning and bedtime, so we get to _other activities_ ,” he said under his breath so Gladio had to lean in close to hear, his grin spreading when he heard him.

“Well then, by all means, Iggy. And here I thought _I_ was the eager one.”

Picking up a clean towel, he gave him a coy smile. “You _are_. But I don’t mind a little incentive here and there. Work hard, play _harder._ That sort of thing.” He left him to his implication and went to dry dishes Pia was done washing.

He was fairly certain he knew were everything went; cups in the cupboard near the fridge, plates in the one on the counter island, knives in the woodblock near the juicer—Jared’s organization. Or perhaps Master Clarus’? Either way, he appreciated its efficiency, and the only true way to test a kitchen was to cook in it, and he enjoyed cooking here on occasion. Pia handed him a can-opener however and he drew a blank, unsure where it went. He didn’t think he’d ever used one here, always trying to focus on fresh ingredients.

Gladio was instructing the twins on something over at the island, so he turned to Iris. “Iris, where does this belong?”

She squinted at it, thinking. “Um, that drawer there on the right?”

He tried it, fairly certain it was the giant utensil drawer.

“Oh, sorry. Maybe this one?” she said. “With the wine and bottle openers?”

“Seems appropriate. Thanks.”

He returned to Pia who was doing a marvelous job at dishes, and he was glad Gladio put one of the older children in charge of it. Although at fourteen, Pia was less of a child and more of a young lady, and he was surprised she opted to spend the weekend here with her younger siblings instead of with her friends, but then again, Gladio and even his father took Iris and Pia to the mall and it was a testament to their strong family ties.

“So Ignis,” Pia started, working on a mixing bowl, “You specialize in daggers and polearms, right?”

“Correct, that is my chosen specialization but I do favor katanas if I must choose a sword.”

“Cool. Yeah, our grandmother used a katana, but not sure if that’s what I’m really into. I’ve seen you fight and you use more gymnastics than other Crownsguard.”

“More of a preference. I have the advantage of being rather tall.” He was unaware other Amicitia members were studying his techniques but studying others was how he eventually decided how he would train. Pia was near the age of formal acceptance into the Crownsguard but he had also heard she was taking her time with her decision, though certainly, joining the Crownsguard was not a light decision.

She laughed. “So do we. But there hasn’t been an Amicitia who wielded either daggers or polearms in several generations. Maybe ever.”

Ignis smiled, wondering if his role as Prince’s Advisor made others believe he was to be consulted on everything. “You can be the first. And if you want some hands on training, I’d be happy to give you some. If I’m honest, I haven’t lifted a greatsword in two years and my form was dismal. Don’t tell Gladio.” He barely scored an above average for his proficiency during training.

That seemed to cheer her up. “Thanks. Mostly everyone in this family uses greatswords, even my mother, but that’s not really for me, you know?” She handed him the bowl and he set to drying it.

“Of course. There’s no one weapon that’s suitable for everyone. From what I’ve seen, Iris is quite the prodigy in her close quarter combat. It’d be interesting to see what she might choose as her weapon.”

“She’s scary. Don’t _ever_ spar with her. I had a huge bruise on my thigh for two weeks.”

“Who’s scary?” Iris came up behind them, finished with her tasks.

“Your brother,” Ignis covered, garnering a small smile of relief from Pia.

“Gladdy? Psssh.” Iris laughed hard. “He’s a big softy. You should know, you kiss him and everything.”

Oh he did know. “Except when he’s hungry.”

“Oh yeah, that. Anyway, I can take over, Ignis.” He handed her the towel and promptly stepped on a cheeseball. Where it came from, he didn’t know as there were no chips in sight, but it drew his attention to the state of the floor and he sighed, heading to the mudroom to grab the broom.

Glancing at his watch, he noted they were making good time.

Gladio must have caught sight of him because appeared in the doorway and he said, “Keeping an eye on that clock, huh?”

“You did say twenty minutes.”

“You don’t think they’ll get done in that time?”

“I…didn’t think they’d be doing so well, actually,” he admitted. Although he did seem to catch the group at their rowdiest. “However, the point has been made that these are _Amicitia_ children so their temperament and ability is exceptional.”

He tossed a rag over his shoulder, leaning in the door frame of the mudroom. “Well, temperament is up in the air. We _are_ stubborn.”

Gladio was always very self-aware, including that his bulk blocked him from returning to the kitchen. Smiling up at him, Ignis added, “Ah yes, I must agree. You are _exceptionally_ stubborn.”

“And yet you put up with me,” he said, crossing his arms.

Ignis hummed. “It is quite the mystery,” he said before leaning forward to press a quick kiss to his lips. He loved how his face brightened whenever he surprised him with small intimacies.

Gladio angled to let him pass and followed behind him. “Kids aren’t so bad,” he brought up again. “Once they’re old enough they can do pretty much anything. Really good problem solvers if you don’t mind creative solutions. And if you have more than one, they help each other out. Four’s a bit much for me though. Two maybe.”

At the last sentence, Ignis paused. “Two?” he said before realizing he said it out loud.

“Yeah, maybe. I liked having Iris around. The gap’s maybe a bit too big though.” He continued back to check up on the twins’ progress.

Still in the doorway, that odd distancing feeling that he’d been experiencing all night came at him in full force. Gladio wanted two children. He’d said it so casually, so absolutely, and even in his mind’s eye vision of the future, Ignis had always known that Gladio would have an heir one day, as his line demanded. But he had never factored in himself, that an Amicitia heir from Gladio would be _his_ child too. A child—or _children_ , had never been a topic that came up. Why should it have if they were both still young? If Gladio was already prepped to be head of household that it was ingrained in him? If the implication was plain as day simply because he was an Amicitia? Even Clarus, in his thorough preparation, had not brought up the issue, despite everything, from their shared duty to Noctis, to potential issues and formalities if they married, to welcoming him in to their family. Because it was plain as day. And yes, even Lord Clarus, with his intimate relationship with the King, could not escape the issue of heirs. And it _had_ been an issue—

“— Iggy.”

Gladio had gently touched his arm, breaking his thoughts. Ignis ignored his concerned expression and forced a smile, busying himself with sweeping. After a few seconds, he could still feel Gladio’s eyes, but then Clara declared that she and Justin were done.

“Good,” Gladio said. “Looks like all of you are done. Good job.”

“So we can go now?” Justin asked.

“Nope, it’s early bedtime for both of you. Don’t forget that this was your doing.”

Both Clara and Justin protested. “But Uncle Clarus was going to let us watch a movie!”

“And I was too,” he said firmly, “but you decided to cause trouble, so bedtime. Go. Before I give you the usual punishment in this family.” Ignis understood punishment to an Amicitia wasn’t lost privileges. It was additional workouts and training.

“You two,” he turned to Iris and Pia. ”You can do what you want but be in bed by midnight.”

“Midnight?” Iris complained.

“I said _be in bed_ , not sleeping. You can watch a movie or read a book or whatever but be in your room, alright?”

She rolled her eyes. “ _Fine._ C’mon, Pia.”

Gladio returned to wiping the counter, but Ignis knew it was clean and he was waiting until all the kids went upstairs.

“Surprisingly lenient,” he said of the option.

“Well, they didn’t actually do anything wrong, they helped clean up, and also gave the twins a bath.” Putting the rag down on the counter, he crossed over to him. “You okay? Lost you for a sec back there.”

Ignis found he couldn’t meet Gladio’s gaze; he was a sucker for those big amber eyes, but they were also dangerously perceptive.One look and he would know. “You’ve nothing to worry about. It’s fine.”

“Is it?” he pressed.

Sighing, he nodded. “It is.” This was a long conversation, perhaps best saved for another day. But then he glanced at Gladio’s concerned expression and he knew it would trouble him until he said something. It was in his nature to solve things headon and ensure his loved ones were unhurt. Ignis pushed his glasses further up his nose, glancing aside. “It’s something else that—” His eyes landed on the refrigerator, on an old crayon drawing of Iris’ that had a depiction of her holding hands with ‘Daddy and Gladdy.’ That swell of disorientation came rushing back and he changed his mind. He couldn’t bring it up here, not in his house, surrounded by his family. “—Nevermind. I-I’m overreacting.”

“Hey.” Immediately, Gladio rushed through the kitchen to him and took both his hands in his, tilting his head so Ignis would look at him. “Hey, you never overreact, okay?” he said softly. “Ignis, look at me.” He gave his fingers a gentle squeeze and he glanced up. “You don’t. _I_ over react,” he joked, garnering a small smile from him.

“But,” he continued, “You do tend to overcompensate, and that’s okay. You’re always thinking about things before I ever do, which is a good thing. Then I come and ruin things with my big mouth, and I’m sorry if I said something to upset you.”

“You haven’t. I just—” Ignis paused, considering how to explain the tide of emotions that overcame him so quickly, because he immediately did not want Gladio to believe he’d done something wrong when he was just sharing his thoughts and aspirations. Perhaps he had found no other way to bring it up than here in his home, surrounded by his family because that was the only place he could do so. He met Gladio’s gaze, his best friend, his partner, his confidant, the last person he wanted to hurt with his struggles. He took a steadying breath. “Earlier…you mentioned having children and for some reason it finally occurred to me that that was also an answer for me.” He could see Gladio’s expression begin to change, to hone in. He glanced aside. “And I, admittedly, haven’t put too much thought into it. The formalities and options yes, but not this. Not family life. Not the reality of it.”

Gladio’s expression was unreadable, an indication he was deep in thought. “Iggy…”

“With Talcott, you handled him marvelously and the other children, the discipline. You’re a natural.” He couldn’t stop the slight tremor in his voice because he really was a natural. Gladio was many things, _is_ many things, _will be_ many things, and he knew that being a good father was one of those.

Gladio brought his hands up, trailing over his arms and finally drew him into an embrace. His chin pressed against his temple. Ignis’ molded into the shape of Gladio’s embrace, his arms under his, hands grasping at the broad expanse of his back. There was no other place he felt safest.

“I didn’t learn all that overnight. Most of it is just being an older brother and some of it is just watching what my dad does. It’s just practice. I dropped Iris once. And I after I was so scared to hold her. Course I was just a kid, but, then when the twins were four, I lost Justin at the mall and I was so scared. I was so afraid someone had kidnapped him because of who we are and I just couldn’t stop thinking how scared he was, if they’d hurt him. For a long time, I told myself I wouldn’t have any children. It was too much of a risk. They can’t help what family they’re born into. The duty, the service, the danger.”

His arms encircled him tighter. “And then trying to find a partner that didn’t want to marry me because of my name. How could I know they would protect our children? Then,” he sighed, and Ignis could hear his heart beat faster. “I realized I already found someone who cared about who I was. Who knew to nurture, to protect, who was intelligent, who saw the true nature of people. Who guided a scared boy to a confident prince who will lead a kingdom.”

Pulling his head back to look at him, Gladio grinned, the corners of his eyes wet. “And the best part was he loves me too. He understands everything I have to do even if I’m too afraid to admit it.”

Just when he couldn’t believe he could love Gladiolus Amicitia any more than he already did, he had to go and say things like this that made him a complete mess. Sniffling, he pressed his face into the warmth of his chest. “You give me far too much credit.”

Gladio laughed, sniffling, as well. “What? You get like _all_ the credit, babe. You’re the best. You really are. And, I know you didn’t say it, but, honestly? I’m scared too. Sometimes I wonder if I really want kids, but then I remember that I swore an oath to protect Noct, to guide him and that includes providing shields for his children.” He turned his face slightly to kiss the top of his head. “And whether they’re _our_ kids or just mine, you’re still gonna influence them. Noct will ask you for advice. Or I will. Or,” he realized, “Noct will definitely ask you for advice on his kids.”

That brought a smile to his face. Yes, Gladio, or even himself with children seemed plausible, but Noctis? That would be quite the treat. “He’ll understand how frustrating it is to feed someone vegetables.”

“I cannot wait for that day. And hey, just between you and me, if you want kids—if you want _my_ kids, ours will eat their veggies. That’s an Amicitia guarantee.”

He leaned back to make sure Gladio saw how high he had arched his eyebrows. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“Heh.” Gladio pulled him closer again to press another kiss to his lips. “Deal.”

For a few moments, they remained like that in the kitchen then he saw a spark in Gladio’s eye.

“Hey, c’mon, I want to show you something.”

“Oh?” Ignis said, intrigued. He remembered the kitchen was clean and all the kids were in bed, so to speak.

“Not _that_ ,” he said, lacing their fingers together. “Well, maybe after, but let’s go to my dad’s study.”

Following Gladio up the east wing stairs from the mudroom, Ignis was even more intrigued. Clarus’ study was a treasure unto itself. Old weapons from the ancient era were stored up there, but if he was truly honest, it was the private collection of journals of many past Shields, and even a couple of Lucian kings, amongst forgotten tomes and out of print historical collections. He was one of a very select handful to know, but there were secrets that could upturn the kingdom in here. Regardless, it was always a very high honor whenever Clarus let him borrow a book, or indeed, suggest he read one to strengthen his abilities and decisions as future advisor.

There were many highlights to House Amicitia, but the study was its centerpiece, a glass and wood vaulted ceiling, being a large feature. When they stepped in, soft lights came on automatically, part of a climate control to preserve the books. Gladio brought them to a bookshelf nearest the desk, selected a red book and a blue one from the center shelf and led them to the couch. Both their knees touched the coffee table and he wondered if anyone ever sat here.

Ignis watched how Gladio opened them with a sort of reverence.

“My grandmother made these when Iris and I were born.”

They were picture albums, each of different milestones from their birth to fairly recently. Gladio stopped at a picture of his father holding a newborn. “Here. Check this out. My dad was thirty-two when he had me. And here, forty when Iris was born.”

Most would think it odd to see the Shield of the King smiling so broadly, but here, he was just Clarus, a new father, an excited father, but also one that looked way in over his head, especially with Gladio.

“Yeah,” Gladio said softly, looking at his father’s pictures. “We got some time on us. We don’t have to be ready now or even in five years. In ten, fifteen, twenty, however long it takes.” He shifted a bit in the couch to face him better. “Or, if you don’t want that, we’ll figure something out. Or,” He glanced away, unsure, but held Ignis’ hand again. “If that’s a deal breaker with us, then that’s what happens.” Smiling, he met his eyes. “I want you to be happy in this relationship. And between you and me, we already have someone we take care of.”

Ignis grinned. “And a golden-haired boy.”

Gladio rolled his eyes. “Him too. I have a feeling he’ll be sticking around with us."

“Actually, of the four of us, Prompto is actually the most self-sufficient. Latch-key kid, I believe it’s called, but he’s well-equipped.”

“I know. Only makes me want to take care of him even more.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Didn’t it go without saying that those who grew up with little familial interaction were drawn to it? Is that what drew him to Gladio? Or Gladio to him? Perhaps he thought the same thing, because Gladio pulled him close on the couch, resting his arm across his shoulders. Ignis rested his head against his chest.

“And hey,” Gladio added, after swiping his hair aside to kiss his forehead. My dad had two heirs. It’s not a big deal. I mean, I’m not putting all this pressure on Iris, but she might have children one day and she knows the duties of our family. And my cousins, too. Pia, or Justin or Clara. My aunt’s been training them. And sometimes my dad and I. We know how to cover our bases.”

“You are too good to me, Gladiolus Amicitia.” He truly was.

“I know,” he said. “And speaking of bases covered, the kids are all in bed and we’re _alone,_ ” he insinuated.

Ignis picked his head up to eye him carefully. “In _your father’s study._ ”

Gladio leaned in, his lips barely an inch away. “In my father’s _locked_ study. That the kids are forbidden to enter. Well, except Iris but she doesn’t come in here too much. Isn’t this room one of your kinks?”

Ignis licked his lips, eager and horrified at the same time as he let him push him onto the cushions. “A regrettably correct assumption.”

Gladio’s grin was wide. “I know.”


End file.
